Various electronic devices, such as television receivers, video recorders, or air conditioners, have been recently become more sophisticated, and remote controllers have been accordingly demanded to operate the devices in various reliably.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional remote controller 501. Electrostatic touch panel 52 is mounted at an opening provided in an upper surface of case 1 made of insulating resin and having substantially box shape. Electrostatic touch panel 52 includes upper cover 3 made of insulating resin, lower cover 4 made of insulating resin, and electrostatic touch panel element 2 provided between upper cover 3 and lower cover 4. Electrostatic touch panel element 2 includes a sheet having a film shape and plural conductors having substantially strip shapes provided on upper and lower surfaces of the sheet. The conductors extend perpendicularly each other with a predetermined distance. Electrostatic touch panel element 2 includes tail 2A having terminals connected with the conductors. Tail 2A extends rightward out of a lower surface of lower cover 4.
Wiring patterns are provided on upper and lower surfaces of circuit board 5. Push switch 6 is mounted on the upper surface of circuit board 5. Push button 6A projecting from an upper surface of push switch 6 contacts the lower surface of lower cover 4. Electrostatic touch panel element 2 of electrostatic touch panel 52 is connected electrically with the wiring patterns of circuit board 5 via tail 2A and connectors.
Button 7 made of insulating elastic material, such as rubber, has a thin wall portion at the lower part of button 7. The thin wall portion has substantially ring shape. An upper surface of button 7 projects from a through-hole provided in the upper surface of case 1 to allow button 7 to move vertically. Movable contact 7A is provided on a lower surface of button 7. Fixed contacts 5A are provided on the upper surface of circuit board 5. Movable contact 7A faces fixed contacts 5A with a predetermined distance.
Transmitter 8 implemented by, e.g. a light emitting diode (LED) sending a remote signal and control section 9 are mounted on the upper and lower surfaces of circuit board 5. Control section 9 implemented by a semiconductor device, such as a microcomputer, is connected to transmitter 8, electrostatic touch panel 52, push switch 6, and plural fixed contacts 5A via the wiring patterns. Cover 10 made of insulating resin covers a lower surface of case 1.
An operation of remote controller 501 will be described below. A user directs remote controller 501 toward an electronic device and presses the top of certain button 7. Upon being pressed, button 7 moves downward while the thin wall portion elastically deforms, thereby contacting movable contact 7A on the lower of button 7 electrically with fixed contacts 5A. This operation connects fixed contacts 5A electrically with each other via movable contact 7A. In response to this electrical connection, control section 9 sends an infrared signal to the electronic device from transmitter 8 to control the device remotely, for example, to turn on and off the device or to control volume.
While programs or menus are displayed on a display screen of the electronic device, the user has a finger touch an upper surface of upper cover 3, i.e., an upper surface of electrostatic touch panel 52, and moves the finger in a front, back, right, or left direction on the upper surface to slide on the surface. Electric charges in electrostatic touch panel element 2 flow to the finger, and change the capacitance of the touched position of the conductors. Control section 9 detects the position of electrostatic touch panel 52 where the finger touches.
Control section 9 sends a remote signal corresponding to the position to the electronic device from transmitter 8 to move a cursor or pointer on the display screen in response to the movement of the finger, thereby selecting programs or menus.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of conventional remote controller 501 while upper cover 3 is pressed. When the cursor or the pointer is positioned at a desired program or menu, the user presses the upper surface of upper cover 3 with the finger as shown in FIG. 6. Upon being pressed with the finger, electrostatic touch panel 52 moves downward and, the lower surface of electrostatic touch panel 52 presses push button 6A of push switch 6, thereby activating push switch 6. Control section 9 detects the activation of push switch 6 and directs transmitter 8 to send a remote control signal, thereby allowing the electronic device to display the program or the next menu.
When the pressing of upper cover 3 is released, push button 6A moves upward pushed by a resilient force of push switch 6. Lower cover 4 and electrostatic touch panel 52 accordingly move upward pushed by push button 6A and return to a position shown in FIG. 5.
Thus, the conventional remote controller 501 remotely controls the electronic device by the pressing of plural buttons 7, selects a menu displayed on a display screen with the touching of electrostatic touch panel 52, and further remotely fixes a menu or displays the next menu with the pressing of electrostatic touch panel 52.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of remote controller 501 having a periphery of electrostatic touch panel 52 pressed. Water drops, oil or, dust may adhere onto the upper surface of electrostatic touch panel 52 or case 1. When the user presses the periphery of, not a center of electrostatic touch panel 52 downward and produces a clearance between case 1 and electrostatic touch panel 52, the water drops, oil, or dust may enter into case 1. Further, electrostatic touch panel 52 is pressed returns back to its original position shown in FIG. 5 by a spring back force of push button 6A itself of push switch 6. The user may not be able to press electrostatic touch panel 52 with a preferable feeling if electrostatic touch panel 52 has a large size.